BILL ANALYSIS
SB 571
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Date of Hearing: June 30, 1999
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Kerry Mazzoni, Chair
SB 571 (Alarcon) - As Amended: June 21, 1999
SENATE VOTE : 39-0
SUBJECT : Families for Literacy Program.
SUMMARY : Expands the purpose of the Families for Literacy
Program (FLP) to include the provision of training for parents
who have no or minimal readings skills, as specified.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires the FLP to include training or assistance to parents
who have no, or minimal, reading skills.
2)Requires the FLP to include services specifically designed for
parents with a primary language other than English.
3)Requires the FLP to consider the literacy requirements for
children in grades K-12 and provide a program that will
facilitate and prepare children for a successful transition
into formal education, when the FLP program is designed or the
program content is updated.
4)Appropriates $750,000 from the General Fund to the California
State Library for the purposes of this program.
EXISTING LAW provides for the FLP, a statewide family literacy
initiative in public libraries. This program provides state and
local assistance funds each year so that public libraries
already providing adult literacy services (usually through the
California Library Literacy Services) can extend these services
to include the families of those adult learners who have a
preschool aged child. Having a preschool child is a
prerequisite to being eligible for this program.
FISCAL EFFECT : This bill appropriates $750,000 from the
General Fund. The Budget Act adopted by the legislature
includes $876,000 for the current FLP. The $750,000 would be an
additional appropriation to the program.
COMMENTS :
SB 571
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Arguments in Support. The author contends that the Families
for Literacy Program is a cost-effective approach to increasing
family literacy. The program breaks the cycle of illiteracy; it
teaches parents to read and gives them the tools to improve
literacy for the whole family. In the current year, 59 library
jurisdictions are providing family literacy in nearly 200
communities throughout California. This bill would enable the
program to increase the number of participants from 5,400 to
10,000.
Background. The FLP began with $600,000 for 22 programs, and it
has grown to serve nearly 200 communities within 59 library
jurisdictions in 98-99. This program serves families by
providing literacy tutors to adults, educating adults about the
importance of reading to children and collaborating with other
local agencies with services needed by the participants.
Grant awards vary from $4,000 to $30,000, based on the size and
scope of the individual program, with the average award being
about $22,000. Fifty-seven programs with almost 5,000
participants were funded in 1997-98. Of the children served,
63% were Hispanic, 14% were African American, 12% were White, 9%
Asian, 1% Pacific Islander and 1% American Indian. In 1997-98,
over 5,400 children received over 36,000 free books as part of
their participation in this program.
Evaluation. The program has been evaluated on its current
charge of providing literacy and pre-literacy services to
families and adults with young children. The evaluations have
concluded that the program is successful in engaging
parents/caregivers in literacy activities and improving the
literacy skills, habits and attitudes of participating adults.
Children participating in the program demonstrate a higher
frequency of preliterate activities, such as asking to be read
to and looking at books on their own. The California State
Library is considering a three-year longitudinal study to
evaluate the long-term program effects on the educational
achievement of participating children.
Funding. The $750,000 is not included in the Budget Act. The
1999-2000 Budget Act passed by the legislature includes $876,000
for this program in its current form. The $750,000 would be an
additional appropriation.
SB 571
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Is this expansion necessary? This bill would require FLP's to
provide assistance and training for parents with no or minimal
literacy skills. However, within the purpose of the FLP is the
specific intent to include illiterate adults. In addition, one
of the prerequisites to applying for the program is that the
library must already be offering literacy services. The FLP
funding must be used for new services. Given this, is seems
that this provision is unnecessary.
This bill would also require FLP's to include services
specifically designed for parents with a primary language other
than English. This would likely be a desirable component in
many communities, however, there is nothing that prevents local
FLP's from offering this now. Also, funding is beginning to be
disbursed to local education agencies for the Community-based,
adult English training (CBET) programs required by Proposition
227 of 1998. It would appear that FLP's in their current form
would be viable as a partner for local education agencies as
they begin to implement CBET programs. CBET programs require
participants to sign an agreement to tutor limited English
speaking children. Since the goals of the FLP are to work with
families to increase literacy, this could be an ideal venue for
this to take place. Therefore, it may not be necessary to
increase the requirements of this program, but encourage local
education agencies to use libraries that offer FLP in their CBET
programs.
Lastly, this bill requires FLP to consider the literacy
requirements for children in grades K-12 and provide a program
that will prepare children for a successful transition into
formal education, when the FLP program is designed or the
program content is updated. It would seem that FLP's should be
considering the literacy requirements in the early grades now,
since their goal is to help children become successful readers.
This will likely become easier as the State Department of
Education develops preschool learning objectives and content and
performance (when developed) standards become more well known
throughout communities.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
SB 571
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Support
California Child Development Administrators Association
Los Angeles County Office of Education
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Theresa Garcia / ED. / (916)319-2087